


Hope Dangles on a String (The Shrine of It Has Caught My Eyes)

by xprezing



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, M/M, Not Beta Read, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-03 05:41:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10960860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xprezing/pseuds/xprezing
Summary: 2.2/3Nolan is almost three, the first time he falls in love.His mom finally gives in, buys him a pair of skates and takes him to the rink. And it's like— it's like he ishome, the instant he starts skating around. He decides right in that moment that he never wants to do anything but be on the ice, the cold kissing his cheeks.It's... perfect.





	1. College AU, Injury; WIP.

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from "Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessional.

2.2/3

  
  
  
Nolan is almost three, the first time he falls in love.

  
  
His mom finally gives in, buys him a pair of skates and takes him to the rink. And it's like— it's like he's _home_ , the instant he starts skating around. He decides right in that moment that he never wants to do anything but be on the ice, the cold kissing his cheeks.

  
  
It's... perfect.

  
~~~~

 

So he works at it, works and works.

 

~~~~

 

13

  
  
Nolan doesn't know how, doesn't really care, but— it feels as if Earth stops spinning when he skates. It feels as if it's just him, his skates, a stick on his hands, and the ice guiding him.

  
  
Eventually, he gets good— really, really good. His parents start getting calls from coaches, talk about how Nolan can be _something_ one day. And it becomes so easy to let himself dream, he can just picture it: him on his skates, his stick on his hands, him and his teammates, the crowd cheering them on. The Cup on his hands.

 

~~~~

 

But like late winter nights turning to warmer spring days, everything changes. Nothing stays the same.

 

~~~~

  
  
16

  
  
It's an accident.

  
  
One second his sister is turning a right turn— the next, a car comes at full speed and everything goes white.

  
~~~~

  
  
The doctors tell him that the impact on his leg was too much, that he will need a brace to walk. And he can see it on their eyes, he sees the sympathy. The "I'm sorry". His mom holds his hand, then.

  
  
He doesn't cry.

  
  
Maddie does though, she's got a mean stich on her forehead— says a million apologies like is her fault, instead of just being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

  
  
And it's just too much, too many things. Happening too fast. He...he's so exhausted.

  
  
~~~~

  
  
It's hard; physical therapy is the easy part, it's the rest that Nolan doesn't know how to deal with. People come up to him, and it's like they too don't don't know how to deal with it.

  
  
So he stops going out much, puts all his energy on studying instead. Works and works at it.

  
  
~~~~

  
  
17

  
  
Nolan discovers that he loves history, the walls of his room fill with books. And it's just so easy to get lost in it, when the past is easier to deal than the present.

 

~~~~

  
  
19

  
  
He eventually gets into Princeton. His parents are so so proud, they can't stop smiling and Maddie gifts him a box set of Dexter, "So you don't get bored." Amy gets him a framed picture of the two together, and he almost cries then.

  
  
~~~~

  
  
Princeton is so far from Winnipeg, but that's one of the reasons he chose it. It's also less cold, which is a bonus.

  
~~~~

  
  
Unpacking is tiring, especially on his leg, but Nolan is happy he's done with it.

  
  
There isn't much to do after, he's one of the first to arrive at campus. He is pretty hungry though, and decides to go find the cafeteria.

  
  
He ends up getting a salad, and sends a text to Maddie.

  
  
**All settled in, say hi to mom and dad.**

 ****  
  
~~~~

College, Nolan decides, is so much harder than he thought it would be. But like everything else he ever put his mind to, he works at it even more. Eventually, he gets the hang of it— even learns to enjoy it. He meets a couple chill sophomores as well: Quenneville and Provorov.

  
  
~~~~

  
  
Quenneville and Provorov, Nolan realizes, are part of the hockey program. And, well— Nolan hasn’t quite learned how to completely deal with that part, or lack of, in his life. The brace on his leg, a daily a reminder. He's...he's better these days, though. Not quite there, but better, and going to classes helps.

  
~~~~

 **Do you ever think of that day?** Nolan sends his sister.

  
  
**All the time.** Maddie texts back. **Hey, if you ever wanna discuss it, I'm just a text away.**

  
  
**Yeah I know, thanks.**

  
  
~~~~

  
  
He doesn't talk about it to Maddie, but the school has set him up with someone from counseling that he can talk to. And it's kinda awkward at first, the counselor —Mr Greene— is pretty easy to talk to though.

  
  
~~~~

  
  
Quenneville invites him to a party one day. "You're know, you don't go out much"

  
  
"Yeah, well. Studying," Nolan explains, which isn't a lie.

  
  
"That's good, but some socializing is good as well," Quenneville says, all serious face.

  
  
"I guess, but I don't promise to be the life of the party," Nolan says back, managing a small smile.

  
  
"That's okay, you going is enough," Quenneville assures him.

  
  
~~~~

  
  
Nolan arrives at the party, to his surprise— it's a smaller gathering than he imagined. Not that he's unhappy about it, the knots around his necks unwinding. This, he can deal with.

  
  
"Hey man," Quenneville greets him, "Glad you came!"

  
  
Nolan nods. "Yeah, well wouldn't want you to miss my face."

  
  
"Haha, Nolan has got jokes," Quenneville responds, "Hey by the way, I got this friend. He's from Switzerland, a Computer Engineering major, and he's looking for someone to help him with his required history class. And you're the smartest dude I know, maybe you can help him?"

  
  
"Um. Yeah," he says, unsure how to reply. Nolan hasn't really tutor anyone before, besides Amy when she was younger.

 

~~~~

  
  
Nolan's arrives at the library an hour early, he's supposed to meet Quenneville's friend— Nico—around four. He's not nervous, not really— it's just...he hasn't had more than small talks with anyone outside his teachers, Mr. Greene, Quenneville and Provorov these days. It's cool though, he's prepared flashcards on World Civ. to the Modern World.

  
  
~~~~

  
Nico, Nolan finds out, is a pretty chill dude— with some serious eyebrows, and a soft face. He's also pretty smart, on the more reserved side— which Nolan _gets_.

 

And well, Nolan is charmed.

 

 

 


	2. Draft Day, not finished.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I've been having troubles finishing, let alone starting anything, so I decided to make this into a series of W.I.P. and maybe one day I'll be able to actually finish them.

It's like time decides to stop moving— frozen in a room full of faces he can't focus on, vision gone fuzzy and the collar of his shirt beginning to stick to skin, and what sounds like Luca trying to break the tension with jokes. 

It's as if time forgot and left, then suddenly all he can hear is the start of _Halifax _and his heart in his ears— like time remembered about Nico and now is on hyperdrive.__

____

It feels like he's walking on clouds, his mom embracing him. People cheering him on. Cameras on him.

____

But like everything else, that doesn't last long as Nolan brings him back to Earth, gives him a pat on his back— says _congrats _, sincerity spilling out his mouth.__

______ _ _

And there's so much he wants to say back— there's so much he wants Nolan to know, but can't find the words, all stuck in his throat.

______ _ _

_Thank you _he says instead, hopes Nolan can hear all the gratitude in his voice and heads to the stage. Somehow manages not to trip on his own feet, body on autopilot.__

________ _ _ _ _

Bettman is the first to greet him, tells him how being first overall is a big deal or something similar — he's not too sure, heart still going a hundred miles per hour. Shero and co. are next to shake his hand, congratulate him. And then— and then he's putting on his new jersey. And it's feels like the entire world is on his shoulders for a brief second. But then, it really sinks. He's a New Jersey Devil. He went first overall. They chose him. And then it feels like the world is too light, it feels like he can do anything. 

________ _ _ _ _

It's beyond Amazing.

________ _ _ _ _


End file.
